I have an application called Dealership Customer Management Services (DCMS), and another called Document GoGetter (DocGG). DCMS is essentially a customer information retrieval and marketing solution. It can be used to produce all kinds of reports (call lists for customers and prospects, performance for Vehicle Sales and Service, etc.). It is also used to produce Followup Builds, which are .csv files (any format can be had, but .csv is most popular) for use with MailMerge and eMailMerge purposes. The Followup Builds are created for both proactive and reactive marketing purposes. DCMS also has a DoNotCall compliance capability that actually works very nicely.
DocGG archives all kinds of data from various document sources (End Of Month reports, Parts and Service Invoices, Cash Receipts, Purchase Orders, On Demand Checks, Payables Checks, etc.). These documents are normally not retained on the in-house ADP systems used by car dealers (ADP has about 45% of the market) unless the dealer has enough $$$ to license the ADP Data Archive/Document Storage app for a couple of gazillion dollars. So for smaller stores DocGG is a very nice solution to use to quickly retrieve old documents without having to go through loads of printed copies - especially once the older copies are put into deep storage. One area I am developing at this time for DCMS, at long last, is a Prospect Management and Showroom Traffic Control capability, as DCMS is currently designed to tease opportunities out of a dealer's current customer database. I have long resisted offering a capability to manage prospects who come into the dealerships to shop for a car, as every system I have seen is largely abandoned within a short period of time from when it is implemented. I feel this is because the Sales Staff and Sales Managers see how the reports show what is NOT being done, as opposed to showing glowingly positive reports on what IS being done. Therefore, to avoid getting beat on the systems are slowly left to rot, and the managers tell the dealers "the software is shitty, won't work, and is unreliable" - which of course the dealers believe because everyone knows computer companies are all a bunch of weasels who sell all kinds of things that are designed only to get money from customers, not to actually help run a business. All that said, I am coding the part I have resisted because I have some long term clients who heavily use my DCMS app that have been asking for it. They have all promised it will be used, not abandoned. I think it is risky as I have heard it all before. But, I would rather move forward as opposed to them deciding to get another solution and me lose a client. That said, a big part of what I need to do is put together some kind of telemarketing piece for Sales Reps to use with their prospect Followup. I have some design ideas already formed in my mind, all paying close attention to the Federal legislation involving Do Not Call compliance (which I really do handle quite well with DCMS). But if you or Michael have something already in place that I could plug into I could offer it as a separate module, hence gather additional recurring license revenue, and get some of that back to you. If it turns out what you have produced is not what I am looking for I will keep moving forward with my own design. But, in either case your interest in looking for a Time Sharing solution is of interest to me. All that said, it may be Summer before I release my upgraded app. And once it is offered my dealers may be a bit slow on the uptake, especially if there is any outside sales support involvement. Sales Reps will gripe as their commissions will be cut to pay for the outside services, yet when given the opportunity to do their own calls they will not use the system (I know I am right about this, I have seen it happen time again with all kinds of systems over the past 15+ years). Once the Sales Reps show they are incapable/unwilling to make Followup calls the dealers may just stop using that feature. The stronger dealers may listen to me re: using an outside service, but they will want an operation with folks with dealership experience. Also, they will want it for free, if not less <g>. That is the reality I deal with in my market, especially now with a major downturn in the automotive market. So, thoughts? If you want to take this off-line you can reach me at [EMAIL PROTECTED], or 585-359-8085. Gil > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Bill Arnold > Sent: Saturday, April 12, 2008 11:41 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: VFP product marketing > > > > Are there other people besides Michael Babcock and myself who have > commercial, small business oriented VFP products for sale? > > I'm asking because my top priority these days is marketing. I'm > convinced that database assisted telemarketing is the way to go, but > rather then pay to outsource the work to a telemarketing firm, I've > built useful software for this purpose (and written scripts, etc.) and > I'm thinking to find and setup someone up in this business. Of course, > finding the right person is not easy and taking time (I am looking), but > nothing is. > > While working on this, it has occurred to me that 'time-sharing' an > operation like this may be an approach worth considering, if there are > others in the same position and who have interest. To be sure, this is > not going to happen overnight, but it is a mission-critical operation > that must be put in place. > > > Thoughts? > > > Bill > > > > [excessive quoting removed by server] _______________________________________________ Post Messages to: [email protected] Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profox OT-free version of this list: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profoxtech Searchable Archive: http://leafe.com/archives/search/profox This message: http://leafe.com/archives/byMID/profox/[EMAIL PROTECTED] ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. 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